Clairol is kissing bad-hair days goodbye this New Year. The Stamford, CT-based division of Procter & Gamble has introduced several new and reformulated products from Nice’n Easy, Natural Instincts, Herbal Essences and Hydrience to treat hair dilemmas.

“Clairol understands the consumer’s true needs and develops products with this understanding,” said Francine Gingras, director of external relations. “Our philosophy is to transform hair color from a chore into a delight. Our objective is to provide the consumer with truly fresh and innovative products that meet the specific needs of women by giving them simple solutions, essentials and enhancements for their lives.”

Ms. Gingras explained that Clairol has benefited from other categories in the P&G beauty family, which has enabled Clairol to cross-pollinate from categories such as best in-class hair care, salon color and color cosmetics.

Using its Gray-Targeting Color Technology, the new Nice’n Easy Gray Solutions is specifically designed for women with resistant grays or more than 50% gray hair. The product includes a pre-treatment to prepare hair for the color cream and is available in 10 shades.

With two new shades—120A Natural Dark Golden Brown and 117D Natural Medium Cool Brown—Nice’n Easy with ColorSeal Technology also includes new “find your shade” and “find your tone” guides to help novices achieve their targeted color. The product seals in natural-looking color with highlights and shine for six weeks, according to the company.

Another Nice’n Easy product, the Root Touch-Up, gives women a quick and easy way to get rid of roots or grays that have started to peek through the base of the scalp, and the enhanced applicator brush is textured and curved to assist her. Four new shades are now available—Extra Light Blonde, Light Ash Blonde, Medium Ashe Blonde and Light Ash Brown.

The Nice’n Easy Color Boosting Glaze provides a quick boost of color and shine to hair, according to the company. The product is made with aloe vera, jojoba oil and vitamin E.

Clairol’s Natural Instincts line introduces Shine Happy and Once-A-Week Color Treat Conditioning Treatment. Shine Happy is applied like shampoo for 10 minutes then rinsed to create shiny silky hair for natural, color-treated highlighted, permed or relaxed hair. The Once-A-Week Color Treat conditioning treatment is recommended after Shine Happy. Clairol insists the product provides 30% more damage protection verses the leading Level 3 hair color and protects against dryness.

Three new ammonia-free products from Herbal Essences have been created. In June 2006, Highlights will be available. The new kit will include a newly designed 2-in-1 comb to give the user fine or bold highlights, as well as root-to-tip coverage. Bold ‘n’ Brilliant Color is available in 17 shades that provide long-lasting permanent hair color. A temporary product lets women experiment with different colors. The ColorFlirt Mousse provides sparkling, low-risk color that lasts eight to12 shampoos.

An easy three-step system that gives hair moisturizing protection before, during and after the coloring process is available from the Clairol Hydrience Crème Moisturizing Color System. The first step requires applying PantenePpro-V 1-Minute Color Pre-Treatment, the second uses the Hydrience Crème Moisturizing Color Crème and the last is Pantene’s Moisturizing After Color. The three-step system infuses moisture into hair at every step of the process, according to the company.

“We understand our consumers emotional and functional needs. The new product offerings are not just hair color essentials but are also problem solvers and hair color enhancements,” said Ms. Gingras.

Some of these new products (i.e., ColorSeal Technology, Root Touch-Up, Natural Instincts permanent hair color, Bold ‘n Brilliant Color) are currently available where health and beauty aids are offered. ColorFlirt will be available February 2006; Gray Solution, Color Boosting Glaze, Shine Happy, Hydrience Crème Moisturizing Color System will be available by March 2006; and the new Highlights will be available June 1006. The products retail from $5.99 to $9.99.